A Holland Reads: A Death Along the River Fleet by Susanna Calkins

April 18, 2016

A Death Along the River Fleet by Susanna Calkins - Review and Giveaway

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

Published: April 12, 2016

Number of pages: 336

Genre: Historical Fiction

Series: Lucy Campion Series #4

Synopsis:

Lucy Campion, a ladies’ maid turned printer’s apprentice in 17th-century London, is crossing Holborn Bridge over the murky waters of the River Fleet one morning when, out of the mist, she sees a specter moving toward her. Frightened at first, Lucy soon realizes the otherworldly figure is in fact a young woman, clearly distraught and clad only in a blood-spattered white nightdress. Barely able to speak, the woman has no memory of who she is or what’s happened to her. The townspeople believe she’s possessed. But Lucy is concerned for the woman’s well-being and takes her to see a physician. When, shockingly, the woman is identified as the daughter of a nobleman, Lucy is asked to temporarily give up her bookselling duties to discreetly serve as the woman’s companion while she remains under the physician’s care.

As the woman slowly recovers, she begins—with Lucy’s help—to reconstruct the terrible events that led her to Holborn Bridge that morning. But when it becomes clear the woman’s safety might still be at risk, Lucy becomes unwillingly privy to a plot with far-reaching social implications, and she’ll have to decide just how far she’s willing to go to protect the young woman in her care.

Susanna Calkins has drawn a richly detailed portrait of a time in history and a young woman struggling against the bounds of her society in her next absorbing Lucy Campion mystery.

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What did I think of this book:

This was a good historical mystery book. I liked how it included the London Fire and thanks to the author's historical detail I felt as if I learned a little more while enjoying this story. It was also nice how the author gives us a little glimpse into each of the characters lives so we can get to know them a little better. Lucy does her best to find out the mystery behind the woman she finds wandering the streets in a bloody shift. As the story progresses we find more secrets which help the story to unravel. I thought the story had a steady pace. Even though this book is a part of a series it can be read as a stand alone book. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

Lucy Campion Mystery Series

Book One: A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate (April 2013)

Macavity Award Finalist Sue Feder Historical Mystery Award (2014)

Barnes & Noble Bookseller’s Selection (“Mystery Pick” and “Featured New Arrival”)

Chicago Book Review – Best Books of 2013

Book Two: From the Charred Remains (April 2014)

Short-listed for the Bruce Alexander Historical Mystery Award (2015)

Book Three: The Masque of a Murderer (April 2015)

Nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award

Nominated for the Bruce Alexander Historical Mystery (Lefty) Award

About the author:

SUSANNA CALKINS became fascinated with seventeenth-century England while pursuing her doctorate in British history and uses her fiction to explore this chaotic period. Originally from Philadelphia, Calkins now lives outside of Chicago with her husband and two sons. A Death Along the River Fleet is her fourth novel.

For more information and to subscribe to Susanna Calkins’ newsletter please visit her website. You can also follow her blog, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, andGoodreads.

Giveaway:

This giveaway is open to the US only and is for one paperback copy of A Death Along the River Fleet. It is mandatory that you leave a blog post comment to win. This will be verified and if not done you will be disqualified. The wimmer will be drawn randomly by rafflecopter. Once the winner is drawn they will be emailed and have 24 hours to respond. If you do not respond a new winner will be drawn. Good Luck.

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